


Darkness incarnate

by Dark_Waffle



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Darkness, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 12:54:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15315933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Waffle/pseuds/Dark_Waffle
Summary: Unfortunate circumstances make you Master Xehanort apprentice. You meet a mysterious boy who is ordered to stay  by your side.





	1. chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am pleased to announce that this fic will include characters from the one and only Kingdom Hearts. I just finished watching Nicob's playthrough of Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep, and I immediately fell in love with Vanitas. This fic starts off before BBS and will later be connected with the main plot of BBS, so this fic will contain spoilers from Birth By Sleep. I also can't spell if my life depends on it so expect a few mistakes. 
> 
> Before we begin, I would like to thank Nicob for connecting me with the Kingdom Hearts series. Please check out his channel on YouTube. Also check out Kingdom Hearts and it's awesomeness.  
> Thank you and enjoy the fic.

~Vanitas pov.~    
Another boring day goes by in the gloomy castle I call home. It's owner, and my owner, was no other than the infamous Master Xehanort. I am his creation, his property, and he has made that fact very clear since day one. He is constantly reminding me that my only purpose for existing is to help him fulfill his plans. But I am honored to fulfill such a task, even if it costs me my life. The only problem is that unless I'm on a mission, I am restrained to this dark palace. As I relax in my chamber, I heard a voice in my mind. "Vanitas, come to the throne room, I need your assistance" Master Xehanort call telepathically. I immediately teleported to said throne room and awaited the master's arrival.  Not a few moments later, a dark portal emerged and out it came the dark keyblade master. He had his usual grin plastered on his face, but something was different about him. As he walked out of the portal, I could see that he was dragging something behind him. To my surprise , he was dragging a girl my age by her leg as if she was a suitcase. Once he was a few feet in front of me, he flung the girl between us, not caring about her well-being. This is when I noticed that the girl was unconscious and very injured; she had cuts and bruises all over her body and had blood seeping through her ripped clothes. I turned to the master. "What is the meaning of this?" I asked sternly. "This girl's world just got destroyed. I found her being attacked by heartless, so I saved her and decided to bring her back here. I thought she would be useful and help you along your missions" he said without changing his expression. " I can complete missions perfectly well on my own and I especially don't need help from a weak little girl " I snapped. I've never worked with anyone other than the master, a new member would just slow me down. "I have made my final decision Vanitas, and besides, don't you want a little sister?" He asked as he began to walk out of the room. I tsked at his comment. "Take her to the infirmary and treat her wounds. When she wakes up, lead her to my office. I will await your arrival" the master ordered before exiting the room, leaving the girl exactly where he left her. I kneeled myself in front of the girl to inspect her closer. She had (s/c) skin and  (h/l) , (h/c) hair. Her eyes were tightly closed and she wore a pained expression on her face. I moved my right arm under her knees while my left arm went behind her back. I lifted her off the ground and start walking to the infirmary, but stopped when the girl moved in my arms. The girl instinctively snuggled into my chest, trying to find some warmth. I continued my travel when she ceased her moving but I couldn't stop myself from staring at her features. I kicked open the doors of the infirmary and laid the girl on the examining table. I took out a roll of gauze and began treating her wounds.    



	2. Chapter 2

~(y/n) pov.~   
I woke up to a blinding light and the worst migraine I have ever felt. When My eyes eventually adjusted to the light, I looked around my surroundings to see a boy leaning against the wall,wearing dark clothing and a mask that covered his whole face. I quickly tried to sit up, but the second I moved pains hot through my body. "Idiot, don't move so fast" the boy said cooly. I, still in shock, was unable to respond to him. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you, at least not now anyway" the boy stated. I finally managed to ask " wh-where am I ?" "Can you walk?" The boy asked, ignoring my question to ask his own. "I don't know " I answered hesitantly. The boy gestured for me to walk towards him. Slowly I got off the table i was on and carefully applied pressure on my legs. The boy kept his eyes on me as I tried to take a few steps away from the table. despite the weakness and constant pain I was feeling, I managed to maintain my balance. "Great, you're not as useless as I thought you were. I was ordered to bring you to my master when you're well enough to walk. Follow me. You'll get all your answers from him " the boy said as he summoned a dark portal. He nodded towards it, telling me to go first. Slowly I walked into the black mist with the boy not far behind me. The portal lead to a large wooden door in a hallway that seemed to have no end. The portal disappeared and all that remained was the masked boy. "The master is through that door. I'll stay out here" the boy said before leaning on the nearby wall. Slowly you open the enormous door and peered inside to see a very old man. "You may come in " he said with a raspy voice. Hesitantly I walked towards the man and stopped a few feet before him. "I am glad to see you have recovered quickly" he said with a toothy grin. "I was told that you can answer my questions" I said quietly. "Yes, my name is Xehanort. I was the one who saved you from your almost certain doom and brought you to my castle" he said. "What do you mean doom?" I asked. "Well my dear, your world was recently destroyed by darkness. As far as I know you are the only survivor. Right before your heart was taken by the heartless , I managed to get you to safety" Xehanort said while pacing around the room and waving his hands in the air. I , on the other hand, barely could process the news. I remained silent and just focused on keeping my tears from spilling over. The world I’ve known my whole life, the friends I’ve made, my only family, all of it gone in a matter of hours. Xehanort noticed my reaction and said "I have some good news for you my dear. Because I am feeling extremely generous, and I can tell you have the potential to be a fantastic fighter, I would like to offer you the chance to be my pupil. The training will be demanding and the missions you will go on will be dangerous, but you will learn how to protect yourself and have a place to call home" the master said, walking closer to me. I could tell that Xehanort was urging me to say yes. At the moment I am both homeless and an orphan, so even though I hate violence I have no other options. I forced a smile on my face and said " thank you very much master Xehanort. I gladly accept your offer." Xehanort smiled, almost evil like "Splendid. Your living quarters will be guest room three. Training starts at 6:30 am. But before you go, may I ask you your name?" " My name is  (y/n)" I said. "Lovely. You must be tired. Go rest in your room. You can explore the castle in the morning after training. See you tomorrow" Xehanort said before walking to the large window in the room. "Have a good day Master, and once again, thank you" I said before bowing and walking through the large door. As I entered the hallway, I couldn't help but let out a miserable sigh. All of this change was overwhelming. "Well you seem joyful" the masked boy commented sarcastically . I was so startled that I gasped and flinch. I completely forgot he was out here. He has not moved an inch from where I left him. " I take it that you're master Xehanort's new apprentice?" He asked while walking towards me. "Yes, I just finished talking to the master about the arrangements. I will be living and training here from now on. I'm supposed to be staying in guest room three, do you know where that is?" I asked. "Yeah, follow me " he said before turning around and starting a quick walk. I had to speed walk to stay next to him. Silently, the two of us walked side by side. Thoughts of the future swarmed through my mind as I was still trying not to break down. "Since we are kinda forced to work together now , I'm going to have to know your name. What is it? " the boy said, breaking the silence. "My name is (y/n) " I said. " Vanitas" he stated. "Well nice to meet you Vanitas" I said with the biggest smile I could muster. Vanitas just stared at me through his black mask. His mask prevented me from seeing any of his facial features or expressions. We finally arrived at a medium size door. "This is it. Training starts at 6:30 am, but you can't get there by yourself. Tomorrow, I'll come here and bring you to the training grounds. Be ready at 6:20 am" Vanitas said, opening a portal for himself. "See you tomorrow, and thank you for your help " I said before slipping into my room, not waiting for his response. Without doing anything else, I ran to the bed and cried myself to sleep. This new path I have been forced to take might have been the darkness one of them all.


	3. Chapter 3

~Vanitas pov.~

(Y/n) quickly dashed into the room before I could reply. Instead of going through the portal right away, I became curious and stood near her room, leaning against the door so I could hear what was happening inside. Not a few seconds later, I heard soft crying from the room. Sobs filled with anxiety and hysteria were the only noise that could be heard. I've never seen anyone cry as hard as that before. I have never done such an act, and the master as well. I was dumbfounded about what to do next. Should I comfort her like a fellow apprentice should? Or should I allow her to solve this problem on her own? I decided to give (y/n) some alone time instead of me barging in and making her feel uncomfortable. I quietly walk away from the area without being noticed.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Time gap~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I woke up early the next morning and prepared myself for the day. It was about 6:15 am when I teleported to (y/n)'s room to bring her to the training grounds. I wanted to arrive early incase she forgot to wake up on time. I made it to my destination and firmly knocked on the door. “(y/n), It’s me ,Vanitas” I called out. Almost instantly the door opened to revel (y/n) fully prepared for training. She had dark circles from lack of sleep and she looked like she has been crying all night. She slowly moved into the door frame with her head down and didn’t say a word. “ You ready to go?” I asked. “Yeah” she said, not much louder than a whisper. I summoned a portal and gestured for (y/n) to follow me. Once we got through and the darks mist cleared, we found ourselves in a barren waste land. “This is the keyblade graveyard. The master will tell you more about the history of this place. We do all of our training here” I explained as we walked to the center of the endless desert. “ What do we train with?” she asked, finally saying something. We arrived to the training spot and paused at the base of a tall cliff. I summoned my keyblade to show (y/n). She gasped in surprise and closely examined my void gear. “This is called a keyblade, it is the weapon the master and I use. You can’t use it, but the master will give you a weapon and teach you. We will also teach you how to use the magic we use in battle” I explained. Unfortunately our time alone was cut short when master Xehanort suddenly appeared before us. “Good morning my students” he said with a wide grin, “ today’s training will mostly for our newest member ; (y/n)”. The master turned to (y/n), who was completely silent beside me. Xehanort then threw a sword towards her. (y/n) caught it and examined it carefully. “That will be your weapon from now on. It is unable to release the hearts within the heartless, but it can cast spells that will aid you in battle” Xehanort explained quickly before turning his back to us. All of a sudden, he vanished from our sight in the span of a second. Both (y/n) and I were shocked at his sudden disappearance. We didn't have long to think before we heard a booming voice from above us. “ Your first battle begins now” the master said from the top of the cliff, looking down at us. He extended his arm and gestured for me to join him on his perch. I took one more look at  (y/n) , who was both confused and nervous, before teleporting next to the master. “ Sumon a few unversed around (y/n), Vanitas” he ordered without taking his eyes off (y/n). As he asked, I conjured four flood unversed around her so that she was surrounded. Instantly she became anxious at the new situation; turning in circles, looking for a way out. “This is a battle (y/n). Protect yourself” the master called out. At this, she tried to take a swing at an unversed. She managed to hit it, flinging it it the side, but it didn't go down so easily. It went in for an attack, but (y/n) dodged it before it touched her. She quickly turned around and slashed it once more. This time, the small unversed disintegrated and returned no more. (Y/n) repeated this for the rest of the creatures. Once she eliminated them she was breathing heavily, obviously from exhaustion. Surprisingly, I found myself releasing a held breath when there were no longer enemies to danger her. The three of us remained silent as we stared at each other; the master and I looking down at (y/n), who was unsure of what to do other than stare back at us. Finally, master Xehanort broke the silence by whispering to me.“Summon five more unversed, but bigger ones this time” he quietly said. I followed his order and summoned five scrapper unversed. (Y/n), who was still trying to catch her breath, tried her best to deal with the new threat without getting injured . Unfortunately , her speed was slowing and it was getting harder for her to keep up. While facing the last enemy, the unversed managed to land a hit on her arm. She yelped out in pain before disposing of the creature. Blood began trickling down her arm as her complexion started to pale. But the master showed no change in emotion. Even when (y/n) looked up at us with tired, pleading eyes, Xehanort turned to me once more and ordered my so sumon harder unversed. I could tell that she was in pain from her injury and excused from battle. She probably couldn't survive much longer without rest. And yet she remained quiet, too afraid of getting punished if she ask the master to stop. Reluctantly, I conjured four bruser unversed. This final battle was fairly short, because the second one of the unversed landed a hit on (y/n), she fell to her knees in exhaustion. When she showed no signs of rising to hear feet, master Xehanort summoned a portal and made his way to it. “I have seen enough for today. Vanitas, take care of (y/n) for the time being. Afterwards you are both free for the day” he said before striding into the dark mist. The second he was fully emerged is the portal , I rushed to aid (y/n). The four unversed were still attacking her without mercy. I quickly drew my keyblade and ended them swiftly. Once they were gone, I kneeled in front of (y/n) so I was at her level. She was covered in freshly made wounds and injuries that opened up from too much movement. Her (e/c) eyes were shut tightly and she barely seemed conscious. I called her name and gently shook her shoulder. She only had enough strength left to hum in response to let me know she could hear me. I concluded that she was definitely unable to walk. “(Y/n), is it ok if I carry you?” I asked in a low voice. She gave me an almost unnoticeable nod as she leaned her forehead into my shoulder, unable to hold up her own body any longer. I carefully picked her up and made my way to the infirmary.   


	4. Chapter 4

~(y/n) pov.~  
I felt too weak to even sit up straight anymore, and found myself leaning forward right into Vanitas’ chest. I was completely dying from embarrassment, but I was too tired to show it. Vanitas didn’t seem to mind and proceeded to lift me from the ground. I could tell that he was being careful with his actions to make sure not to hurt me more . With the change of atmosphere I knew that we teleported somewhere new. I struggled to open my eyes to see where we were. Vanitas noticed my failed attempt. “Don’t worry (y/n), we’re back at the castle. I’m taking you to the infirmary, so just focus on staying awake” he said in a reassuring voice. After a few moments, I felt myself being lowered onto a table. In only a few seconds later, I could feel my wounds being cleaned and bandaged by gentle hands. I finally was able to catch a glimpse at Vanitas, who was tending to my injuries. Once he finished, he took a few steps back and summoned his keyblade. He raised it in the air and casted a healing spell on me. I instantly felt much better and sat up. “How are you feeling?” Vanitas asked while putting his keyblade away. “I’m feeling much better, thank you for your help” I said with a smile. I moved my legs to the edge of the table and prepared myself to move to my feet. But before I could, Vanitas pushed my shoulder gently to lay against the back wall. “Don’t stand yet, you’ve been through a lot today. You need to rest or else it will take longer for you to heal” he said while sitting beside me. I found the change in personality odd. Just the day before he came off as aggressive and antipathetic, but today he seemed more caring of my well being. “Master Xehanort went too far with your training today. You just woke up yesterday. He shouldn’t have pushed you past your limits” he commented next to me. It was true that you felt like dying in the battle today. Your first fight was a complete train wreck. A depressing cloud loomed over your head as you started to regret your decision to stay here. “Vanitas, can I ask you something?” I asked while trying to see a reaction through his mask. Unfortunately, I still couldn’t see any facial features through the dense covering. He did however, nodded in response. “Do you think I even have a chance at becoming a worthy apprentice?” I asked with my head low. Vanitas was silent for a moment, but replied in an almost uplifting voice. “Don’t feel so down. Considering that you had a major accident only a few days ago and haven’t been given time to recover, your performance today was impressive. Today was the first time you ever held a sword too, so don’t be so hard on yourself. I think you should continue” he said, facing towards me. I thought about what he said for a moment. Vanitas was obviously much more experienced than me, and he was impressed by your fighting skills. I felt proudness wash over you and sweep away the sadness. “Thanks for the encouragement, but I still have a lot of a long way until I'm a confident fighter” I said, unable to wipe the smile from my face. “No worries. I'll talk to master Xehanort later today and get you a few days off to heal. Once you're back on your feet, I'll help you train” he said almost kindly. Now this was a big surprise. Vanitas seemed like the last person who would be willing to help me, and yet here he was. “Thank you for all your help Vanitas. I don't know what I could have done without you” I said with a happy smile. Vanitas shifted of the table and onto his feet. “Don’t mention it. Now let's get you to your room” he said, extending his arm, offering me his hand. I gladly accepted it as I moved to the edge of the table. Once close enough, Vanitas placed my arms around his broad shoulders and maneuvered his over arm around my ribs and knees. As soon as he was sure I was in a stable position, he lifted me off the table and into the air. He started to walk at a casual pace through the hallway. Vanitas had no trouble carrying me, in fact it looked as if he was burning no energy at all. I,on the other hand, were completely burning red with embarrassment. It was impossible to know if Vanitas noticed this, but I prayed to kingdom Hearts he didn't. Your mind was brought back to the situation at hand when Vanitas pushed the door to your room open and walked inside. He carefully placed me on my bed lying down. “You really need to rest (y/n). Please stay down and don't move around too much, ok?” he asked very softly. I was mesmerized by his caring voice and responded without hesitation. “ I will. I appreciate what you're doing for me Vanitas. Thank you” I joyfully said. At this moment , even with his mask, I could have sworn I saw a smile plastered on his face. “ You're welcome (y/n). Now relax, I'll get you a day off so you can sleep in. Sleep is very important when you're sick or hurt, so don't stay up too late. I'll check on you later, bye” he said before turning around and heading to the door. “Bye Vanitas” I quickly responded before he exited the room. Once he was gone, I decided to go to sleep every if it was still bright out. Last night I only got around 3 hours of sleep because I was too anxious. But today I'll probably sleep like a log. I covered myself in the blanket that was on my bed and rested my eyes.

~Vanitas pov.~  
Once I gently closed (y/n)’s door, I made my way to master Xehanort’s office. I was so upbeat after talking with (y/n) that I felt a sense of disappointment knowing that conversing with my master will dampen my perfect mood. I maintained a mature mindset as I knocked on the massive door. “You may enter” said the raspy voice, emanating from the office. I walked through the door and approached Xehanort, who had his back turned to me. “ Master, I have come to inform you of (y/n)’s condition” I said with a straight face. “Ah yes, I trust you have taken care of her” he responded without turning away from the large window. “Correct master. I have handled her wounds and brought her to her room to rest” I explained in a cool matter. “Her performance fascinated me today. What do you think, Vanitas?” he asked as he started to wander around the office. “Actually, about that master,” I started “I think we should allow (y/n) a few days to rest before she trains again”. At this, Xehanort raised an eyebrow, yet kept his crooked smile. “Oh, you seem quite concerned over your fellow pupil” he commented with a large grin. “I simply have noticed that her wounds will take several days to heal properly. If we were to train her again tomorrow, she would most likely be unable to withstand and damage. Once she has recovered, she can train for much longer periods” I said in the most convincing way I could. The master simply regarded my explanation with his usual grin. He stayed silent for a few moment; pondering my suggestion. “I see truth in your logic. Alright Vanitas, when you see (y/n) next, tell her she has a week free of training” he said hoarsely . “Thank you, I will tell her as soon as I can” I said before heading to the door. “You seem to be quite friendly with your new little sister” master Xehanort stated in a taunting manner. I turned to face him once more, controlling my temper as much as I could. “If I'm her ‘brother’, doesn't that make you her ‘father’?” I asked bitterly. “ Yes, I suppose so. Many masters tend to treat their pupils like their own children” he responded, unfazed by my hostel tone. “Then I recommend you pay more attention to your children if you want them to follow your orders” I smugly commented before walking to the door, not waiting for a response.


	5. Chapter 5

~(y/n) pov.~  
I woke up and found myself in the keyblade graveyard. I stood up and observed my surroundings. Vanitas and the master were nowhere to be found. In fact, nothing could be found. I was completely alone in the barren waste land. But I wasn't alone for long. Out of nowhere, heartless and unversed emerged from the ground. Without anything to protect myself, I tried to run away from the area. The creatures were close behind me even though I was running at my top speed. All of a sudden, I lost my balance and tumbled to the ground. The dark monsters instantly pounced on me and my vision faded to black.

I quickly sat up in my bed. My fearful awakening made my forget about the wounds and I hissed at the sudden pain. I was still in my room in the castle. I must have just had a bad dream. I glanced around the dimly lit room and was shocked to find Vanitas sitting on a chair near my bed. With his thick mask, it was hard to tell if he was awake or not. The only signs were his gentle breathing and slumped down head. He seemed to be asleep. While remaining in bed, I leaned closer to the boy and carefully tapped his shoulder. He stirred slightly but stayed silent. I decided to try something different and reached for his hand. Once close enough, I weaved my fingers through his and gripped his hand in a friendly manner. At this, Vanitas’ head shot up with a gasp. He quickly examined his surroundings before focusing on me. "Are you alright? Why are you up this early? ” he asked urgently. Even after he woke up , he still didn't remove his hand from mine. I began to blush at the contact we were sharing. How is it that every time the two of us touch, I end up getting so embarrassed? “ I'm o-ok, I just had a bad dream and woke up. Sorry I woke you” I said, unable to keep cool. Luckily the room was too dark for him to notice my blush. “There is no need to apologize. I was waiting for you to wake up anyways” he said, going back to his smooth self “I have good news that I wanted to tell you right away.” I haven't had any good news in days. Any positive information would make me very happy. " Awesome, what is it? " I asked eagerly. “ I talked with Xehanort and managed to get you a week off” he explained. I didn't expect the master to give me a whole week of rest. He didn't seem like the person who would be that generous. “ Thank you for talking to him Vanitas. I don't think I would be able to ask him myself” I said quietly. It just dawned upon me that I must seem pretty useless to Vanitas. In the three days I've known him, Vanitas has healed me twice, saved me once, taken me to and from places so I don't get lost, and faced our intimidating master for me. I haven't done anything for him, just caused more trouble. "I'm sorry for not being able to do much” I apologized sadly. Vanitas seemed to understand what I was thinking and decided to grip my hand tightly in an attempt to comfort me. "You're thinking about it too much. How about this? In a day or two, I'll show you around the whole castle and how to teleport so you can be free to go places by yourself” he said in a friendly voice “but for now, just focus on falling back to sleep.” He raised from the chair and moved it to the side. “Oh, one more thing before I go.” Out of nowhere, Vanitas bowed his head towards my hand, which was still holding his. Before I could react, Vanitas placed the mouth part of his mask on the back of my hand. The action held the emotional aura of a real kiss, but lacked the skin and skin contact of one. "Just something to keep the bad dreams away” he said nonchalantly “Good night (y/n).” And with that he released my hand and headed to the door. “Go-good night Vanitas” I said before he exited, completely flustered from his action. Once he left, I was alone again just like the night before. But tonight was different. I was too happy about what just happened to cry myself to sleep. Having a friend in this new life lifted a mountain of weight off my shoulders. I lied back into bed and attempted to sleep again. Before fatigue took over my mind, I examined my hand thoroughly, the one which Vanitas kissed. There is no way I'll have a bad dream again.

 

~Vanitas’ pov.~  
As soon as I exited (y/n)’s room, I covered my face with my hands in frustration. Why did I do that? All of a sudden I got an urge to make contact with (y/n), and not just a friendly contact. A contact filled with emotion and warmth. Such a contact the I have never received myself. Before I knew it, my body disconnected from my mind and moved on it's own. What power could have overtaken me so? Perhaps it is the stress of yesterday's training which is affecting my behavior. I carefully walked through the still dark halls towards the nearest washroom. After making sure the door was locked, I proceeded to remove the mask I wore. It was only after I undid the many miniature buckles from their tight seal on my head when my mask uncovered my features underneath. Master Xehanort requested for me to wear my mask for the majority of the day, even within the castle. Only in my spare time in the evening am I allowed to be free of its conformity. With my mask off, I splashed water in my face to wash away the sweat the has built up over the day.


	6. Chapter 6

~Vanitas’ pov.~

                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Super giant several month time gap

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It’s amazing how one’s life can change so much in only a few months. (y/n) has fully healed and is a far better fighter than when he began. She is now able to conquer swarms of enemies with no trouble at all. I too have grown stronger in my own way. With (y/n) by my side, I feel myself gaining more energy per day. Before meeting her, I would go through my days living for no one other than my master. But now I find myself living for (y/n) and for myself more. I’ve been cautious not to show this side to master Xehanort this change in my heart. It would be more convenient for him if I were a mindless zombie. I’ve have also been experiencing a new feeling of wanting. I yearn for the day (y/n) and I can be free from the shackles of our master. I still have not shown my true face to (y/n) because I am afraid that she may be repulsed by the darkness that covers it. The darkness Xehanort placed there. But until we reach that freedom away from this prison, (y/n) and I must obey our master and complete his missions. Similar to the events happening today. Xehanort has called us to his office to discuss plans for a new mission. After dressing myself with the necessary gear, I make my way to (y/n) room. I knock on the door and hear her voice from the room “Don’t come in, I’m still changing! I’ll be out in a minute” she calls out. I chuckle at how much she has changed; no longer fearful of being late. She open the door and walked into the hallway. The master has given (y/n) a battle suit similar to mine but much more feminine. (y/n) also has a small mask of her own to shield her identity while on missions. It always shocks me how amazing she looks. “Earth to Vanitas? Are we going to go or are you just going to keep staring at me?” she asks while waving her hands in front of my face. “Oh, s-sorry. Let’s go” I said, snapping out of my gaze. We both teleport to the master’s office and stand at attention as he addresses us. “ Today’s mission is at the utmost importance. Failure is not an option” Xehanort booms as we stay silent. “Today the two of you will travel to the Land of Departure to infiltrate Eraqus’ castle. Eraqus has been hiding information about the keyblade war from me. It is your duty to uncover that information for me” he explained with a serious appearance, unlike the grin he usually has. He hands each of us a radio like device. “Due to the size of the castle, you will split up to search it. (y/n), you will take the east wing, and Vanitas will take the west wing. Who ever will find it first will contact the other with this device. Once you are regrouped, you will return here. Avoid being noticed by Eraqus or his pupils.That is all. Begin as soon as possible” he finished as he turned his back to us. We both bowed to him and exited the room. Once we were in the hallway, (y/n) turned to me. “This seems like a difficult mission. I’m a bit worried” she said quietly so the master would not hear. We started walking away from the office so we could talk easier. “As long as we move quickly, everything should be fine. All we have to do get in, quickly search every room, and get out” I said with confidence to make (y/n) feel better. “Ok, but you make it sound easy” she said with a small smile.

 


	7. Chapter 7

~(y/n) pov.~

 

I have never been on a mission this important before, and this time I will have to split up from Vanitas. Since I first because a pupil of master Xehanort, Vanitas has been anchor for me. I feel down when I’m not around him, and I become excited at the thought of seeing him. Him words of encouragement help me relax about the mission, but I could tell by the tone of the voice that he was nervous as well. We teleported to the Land of Departure, where we spied on our target from a nearby cliff. Eraqus’ three pupils were sparing outside. “Remember to call me the second you find something” Vanitas reminded me “or if you get caught. I’ll come and help you right away.” He sounded very concerned. Vanitas has always been protective of me when we go on missions but I try to calm him down so that he can focus on our goal rather than me. I hold his hand and look straight into his mask where his eyes would be. “Vanitas, everything will be fine. As long as we be cautious and find the information, we can finish this mission quickly before anyone notices. And don’t think that just because you're more experienced, doesn’t mean that you can’t call me for help when  _ you _ get in trouble” I said in a joking matter to bring up his spirits. Vanitas nodded firmly in agreement. I covered my face with a mask of my own to hide my identity. Once the three pupils had moved further away from the castle, we began our mission.

 

I teleported to east wing to begin my search. I quickly entered and searched every room that I came across. There were dozens of rooms, and with each failure I was forced deeper into the enemy castle. Vanitas has not tried to contact me in any way, probably because he was busy searching his end. As I ran through the lengthy hallway, I came across my last room to check. It’s door was much more glamorous than the others. As I peaked into room, I was in awe at how large it was. It was a ginormous throne room. The walls were covered completely in relics of the past and the large stain glass windows made to sunlight look like rainbows. At the end of the room stood three wooden thrones on a platform. I ran straight for the thrones and started looking for a secret compartment. As I was pushing on different sides and pieces, one side of the throne gave in from weight. Inside the hollow throne was a small box. I carefully removed the box from it’s spot and examined it. The box was light and could be held with one hand. I opened it and saw that it was filled with old papers. I quickly read through one sheet and found that it mentioned the keyblade war several times. Concluding that this was the information the master wanted, I instantly called Vanitas. “Hey! Are you there?” I said into the radio. “Yeah, I’m here. Is everything alright?” Vanitas answered not a second later. “I’m ok, but I think I found what we’re looking for.” “That’s great! I’ll come over to where you are. Which room are you in?” he asked. “I’m in some kind of throne room at the far east side” I answered. “Ok, just stay there. I’m on my way” he said before quickly cutting off. I could hear the door opening behind me and turned around, expecting it to be Vanitas. I froze when I realized it was someone else. The person who entered the room was an older man with a long white coat. Both of us stopped in our tracks and stared at each other. It took me a moment to realize that the man who blocked my path as the keyblade master, Master Eraqus. Once it dawned upon me, I was beyond terrified. “Intruder! What are you doing with that box!?” He yelled as he pointed to the small box in my hands. I remained silent, frozen in fear at what may happen to me. “You won’t talk!? Then I’ll just have to force you!” he boomed as he summoned his keyblade. Before I was able to reach for my sword, Eraqus was already coming at me with a strike. I was able to move before the attack hit me and managed to wield my sword before the next strike. With each attack Eraqus gave, I simply tried to dodge or block it. There was no chance I would be able to win against a battle worn master such as Eraqus, especially since I had to also focus on not dropping the precious box. As the battle raged on, Eraqus delivered a specifically fast strike which managed to injury my arm badly. I stumbled to the ground in pain as I desperately tried to protect the box. Eraqus stood over me and examined my form. “It doesn’t have to be this way. If you return that box to me, I may consider showing you mercy” he said as he looked down at me. I shook my head and tightly held the box against my chest. “ Fine then. You leave me no choice but to eliminate you!” Eraqus yelled as he prepared a final strike. I looked away as I prepared for death. But surprisingly, the blow never came.     

 


	8. Chapter 8

~Vanitas’ pov.~

 

After (y/n) contacted me on the radio, I literally sprinted towards the throne room. We were in the middle of enemy territory and anything could happen. As I ran down the hall, I could hear the echo of a battle in the distance. I summoned my keyblade and prepared for a fight. I barged through the doors to the throne room and was filled with rage. Master Eraqus, Master Xehanort’s enemy, was standing over (y/n) about to strike her. My body moved on it’s own as I ran between them and blocked his attack. It took all to strength to keep myself up straight due to the force of his blow. I looked behind me and saw that (y/n) was holding the information. I also saw that her arm was wounded badly. I quickly analyzed the situation and concluded that it would be best for (y/n) to head back to master Xehanort without me. That way I could at least by her some time. “(y/n), take the box and head back to HQ. Explain what happened to the master” I told her while still holding Eraqus back. “But what about you?” (y/n) asked. “I’ll be fine, just get out of here!” I yelled, not out of anger but out of fear that she may get hurt more. (y/n) was shocked at my tone but quickly summoned a portal. Eraqus made an attempt to attack (y/n) before she could escape but I managed to push him back a significant amount. After (y/n) ran into the dark mist, I sighed in relief. Now that I knew that (y/n) was safe from harm, I could focus on the task at hand. And this would be no easy task. Eraqus and I circled around each other like wolves, preparing ourselves for the others attacks. “You were foolish to come and disrupt the peace of this land. I will not allow you to leave here unscaved!” Eraqus scolded me. “It is you who is the foolish one” I said in a dark tone, “for you have harmed the one I care about most and I will make you pay!”

 

~(y/n) pov.~

 

I teleported to the castle as fast as I could. I ran to the throne room where I could feel the master’s presence. As I was entered the room, I found the master eagerly awaiting my return. “Have you found the information?” he asked. I was too out of breath to talk so I handed him the small box. As I struggled to catch my breath, the master silently read through one of the documents. Once he finished, I sickening smile crept onto his face. “Well done (y/n)” he commented as he began to walk out the door. “W-wait master!” I desperately cried out “Vanitas is in trouble!” At this the master stopped, but his expression did not change. “Is that so? Well it would be too dangerous for my to  retrieve him, especially if Eraqus finds out that I was the one who plotted this. Vanitas is capable of taking care of himself” he explained before strolling out of the room. I was incomplete shock at the master's words. How could he just abandon his star pupil as if he were trash? It was then when the pain of my wounds and weight of reality came crashing into me. I was too weak for this dark world. I was too weak to save my world, too weak to save my family, too weak to be Xehanort’s pupil, And too weak to help the one thing worth fighting for;Vanitas. I couldn’t keep my emotions back any longer as I started to sob uncontrollably. I removed my mask and threw it in hate. Despite feeling pathetic, I could do nothing but sob where I stood. I lost track of time but after a while I was able to calm down a little. I managed to walk my way to the infirmary, still crying gently. There I grabbed a roll of gauze and dressed my wound. Once I was done, I gazed out of the window into the barren land around the castle. The sun was already starting to set. When we started the mission, it was about noon. How much time has it been since I’ve seen Vanitas? Is he alright? Will I ever see him again? As terrible thoughts swarmed my head, they were interrupted by a familiar presence. The presence of Vanitas. 

 


	9. Chapter 9

~ (y/n) pov.~

 

I rushed through the castle, checking each room, to try and find Vanitas. My instincts told me that he must be close by. At last my search brought me to the throne. I threw the doors open and could hardly believe my eyes when I saw Vanitas standing in the middle of the room. He was breathing deeply and had deep cuts all over his body. It looked like he just teleported a few seconds ago. As I moved towards him, Vanitas raised a shaking hand, as if he were reaching for me. “(y-y/n)” Vanitas sighed. Before I could ask him anything, Vanitas started falling over. I quickly ran to him and tried my best to protect his body from hitting the floor too hard. I shook him gently as I called his name, but he didn’t respond. Despite Vanitas being much heavier and taller than me, I lifted him on my back and carried him to the infirmary. I placed him onto the table and gathered supplies to treat his wounds. It was only then when I noticed just how injured Vanitas was. His cloths were torn in many places, revealing bleeding cuts and dark bruises. I carefully dabbed the open wounds with disinfectant before wrapping them with gauze. After I tended to the injuries which were visible on his body, I noted that Vanitas’ mask was cracked on one side. It was possible that master Eraqus struck him on the side of his head. If this was the case, I would have to treat it as soon as possible because it could be serious. While I respected Vanitas’ privacy and did not want to remove his mask without his permission, it would be dangerous to leave his injury be. With caution I undid the buckles that kept Vanitas’ mask firmly on his head. Once I felt the material loosen, I carefully lifted the covering off his face. For some reason, I found myself holding my breath in preparation for whatever monstrous or unusual features may be underneath, seeing that Vanitas’ was too conscious to let me see before. To my surprise, there was nothing odd about his appearance, or even appealing in any way. He had a head of spiky black hair, which contrasted with his fair skin. His facial features were simple, but where attractive in their own way. Luckily, the only injury on his head was a small bump. I placed an icepack on his forehead to treat the swelling. With finally sometime to rest, I sat beside Vanitas and waited for him to awake.

 

After what seemed like hours of waiting, Vanitas still was in his deep sleep. With time to myself, questions were swarming my mind nonstop. Why was Vanitas so conscious about his face? Was he shy or was there some greater meaning to his actions? I was interrupted when Vanitas’ eyelids began to flutter and his lips twitched slightly. I moved closer to his body in anticipation. Slowly, his eyes opened, revealing two perfect golden orbs. For a few moments, we just stared blankly at each other. But soon Vanitas’ eyes widened after remembering what happened. Vanitas quickly started to sit up despite his injuries. “Hold on Vanitas, you are too hurt to mov-” I started to say before being enveloped in a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re ok” Vanitas whispered while keeping me as close to his body as possible. I fazed out of my shock and wrapped my arms around his neck. But as my hands brushed past his hair, Vanitas realized his face was uncovered. He jolted back and desperately tried to find his mask. “Where’s my mask (y/n)?” he said with urgency. “ I took it off because your head was hurt. But I don’t understand. Why are you so scared to be seen without it?” I finally ask. At my question, Vanitas turned away from me, in what looked to be shame. “ Look at me (y/n). One look at my appearance is all it takes to see why I keep my face covered. I am the incarnation of pure darkness itself. That is what I wanted to keep from you, just how much darkness I had in my heart. I thought that if you saw my appearance, you would be too frightened to be my friend anymore” Vanitas explained with tears in his eyes, “I have been lonely for so long. I just didn’t want to lose you.” My heart instantly chilled over at his words. I had no idea that Vanitas cared so much me. I tightly gripped his hand in an attempt to comfort him. “Vanitas, you are my one and only friend. I would never just turn away from you” I explained in a gentle voice. Vanitas still refused to meet my gaze. “But look what the darkness has done to me. I don’t deserve to be around you. I don’t deserve to be your friend” Vanitas cried as tears began to run down his face. Without much thought, I quickly placed my hands on his Vanitas’ cheeks and turned his face to force him to look at me. “That’s not true! And I’m going to prove it to you” I said with confidence. Vanitas didn’t make an attempt to move out of my hold but look confused, as he did not know what I was planning to do. Without breaking away from his perfect golden eyes, I moved towards him while keeping his face in place. I closed the gap between our faces and gently placed my lips on Vanitas’. At first, he was completely frozen with shock and unsurety. But as he got used to this new feeling, he began to relax and enjoy the sensation of being so close to someone. Vanitas brought one arm around my waist and the other hand to bring my face closer and deepen the kiss. When we both were out of breath, we broke apart. I leaned against Vanitas’ forehead with my own and looked deeply into his eyes. “See? You deserve me. I wouldn't love you so much if you didn’t” I said jokingly. Vanitas let out a small chuckle and smiled. His smile was warm and was just how I expected his smile to look like. Vanitas brought one of his hands to my face and caressed it, examining every detail. “I can’t believe it took me nearly getting killed to get a thousand times closer to you.”  

 


	10. Chapter 10

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Few Day Time Skip

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~Vanitas’ Pov.~

 

Master Xehanort summoned me to his office to explain the details of the next mission. For some reason, he asked to see me alone instead of having (y/n) along. I entered the master’s office to see him pacing the room. “You asked for me, master?” I asked blankly. “Ah, yes Vanitas. I have some fantastic news” master Xehanort started with a smirk “ I have been invited to master Eraqus’ castle to watch his pupils perform the mark of mastery, and you will be joining me.” “What’s the point? It would just be dangerous for me to go back there” I asked bluntly. “I’m glad you asked Vanitas” Xehanort said darkly ,“This is the mission that you have been created for. You will follow your other half, Ventus, and encourage him to fuze with you to create the X-blade.” My heart stopped at the realization of what was happening. This was it. This was the reason I was made. I sudden feeling of dread filled my mind. “Is (y/n) joining us?” I asked without showing my emotions. “No, she will not. After the last mission, I cannot rely on her to not be caught. But I’m sure I’ll find some use for her before my time ends” the master explained, smiling to himself at his last comment. It took all of my strength to keep my hands from strangling my master out of frustration. “How long do I have to prepare?” I asked. “You have till tomorrow until our plan begins” Xehanort said. “Alright, thank you master” I quickly commented before storming out of the room. As soon as I was far enough that I knew the master couldn’t hear me, I broke out in a fit of rage. I mindlessly smashed anything in my sight. What was keeping me back from unleashing this same rage on Xehanort? Was it this feeling of obligatory loyalty? Was it a subconscious fear of not being able to win against him? Whatever it drove me insane.Once I calmed down, reality finally hit me. When I’m gone, what will happen to (y/n)? If the mission is a success, I will not be returning. If it fails, there is no telling what will happen the them. But most importantly, this may be the last time I will see (y/n) again. I ran as fast as I could to find her. I finally found her in her room, resting from the last mission. When I entered the room, (y/n)’s face lit up in the way I always loved. It hurt knowing I might never see that again. Once (y/n) saw how frantic I looked, her face darkened. “Vanitas, what’s wrong?” she asked, a worried tone in her voice. I sat beside her and grasped her hands in mine. I quickly explained to her the details of the next mission, and how it will be my last. (y/n) stared at me with her beautiful, sad eyes as I broke the news to her. The look she gave me shattered my heart, but it had to be done. We had so little time left together. “So this is it? After tomorrow, you will basically just die?” (y/n) asked with tears in her eyes. “If everything goes according to plan, then yes” I answered reluctantly. It killed me to have explain all these horrible things to the one I loved. “So I’ll be alone again?” (y/n) asked, or tried to without going into a sob. (y/n) began to cry heavily, terrified of the thought of having her loved ones taken away from her again. I couldn’t find the strength to answer her, and pulled her into a hug to try to comfort her. Just then, an idea came to me. I grabbed (y/n) by the shoulders and moved her so she could see me. “(y/n), there might be a way we can avoid all this and escape master Xehanort together!” I exclaimed “What if, when the master and I are on our mission, you can escape to another world. I world where the master won’t find us. A world where there is no darkness. Once the mission fails, I’ll come find you, and then we can live happy together.” (y/n) stared at me in an unsure manner, but her eyes lit up at the idea of hope. “Do you really think that will work?” she asked eagerly. “Yeah, I do. Once the master starts the mission, he will be too focused to notice if you went missing. And I don’t think Ventus will be too cool with the idea of fusing with me, so I can waste time on tracking him or something like that” I explained, “And then all this suffering will be over and we can live our own lives. And no matter what happens, I promise I will find my way back to you. I love you.” I moved closer and gently kissed (y/n). She melted into the kiss and leaned against my chest to get as close to me as possible. As soon as we broke the kiss, we both hugged the other with all our might, savouring these last moments together. “I love you too Vanitas.”   


	11. Chapter 11

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The Next Day  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~Vanitas’ Pov.~

Here I am, back at the Land of Departure. Only a few days ago, I was running the halls searching for that stupid info. And now I’m back, waiting for the master. I lean on the wall in exhaustion from the sleepless night before. All I could think about was how this escape plan would work out. I closed my eyes and dreamt back on the image of (y/n). The only thing that kept me going. I don’t care how hard it is to pretend, to look into the eyes of my creator and lie, as long as she is safe. But a pit at the bottom of my stomach told me that I won’t be getting out that easily. I just pray (y/n) will. I heard foot steps from the hall and quickly prepared to act. Master Xehanort turned the corner and addressed me. “"What do you make of Ventus?" he asked. “ "He ain't gonna cut it. Somebody's gotta break that loser in” I replied. I honestly couldn’t care less about Ventus. The only thing on my mind was (y/n). "Not here, you won't. I have to keep up appearances” he said in response. What a surprise old man, so do I. 

 

~(y/n) pov.~

After searching countless worlds, I have finally found a place where it would be safe for Vanitas and I. This world was an island in the middle of an endless sea. The crystal blue water and soft sand made the small world seem like a paradise. I placed myself under a palm tree and rested my eyes. I wonder if Vanitas will like this place? We shared a short, but heart filled goodbye just this morning, but it seems as if we have been separated for weeks. His lasting image in my mind never fades as I recall all of his features. His golden eyes, his pale skin, is dark hair. “Excuse me? Are you new here?” the voice of a child interrupted my daydream. My eyes shot open and were greeted by the sight of a young boy. He was a cute thing; with chocolate coloured locks and deep blue eyes. “Yes actually, I am. I’m new here” I answered the boy, crouching down to be eye level with him. “We don’t get many new people here. I can show you around if you like” the boy offered in an extremely friendly voice. “I would love that, thank you” I thanked him with a smile. The boy grabbed my hand and began to lead me to the nearby town. “My name is Sora by the way” he added. “My name is (y/n).” As Sora dragged me across the island, I noticed something interesting. Sora reminded me of him. Even though he was just a child, I could tell that he will grow up looking a lot Vanitas.


End file.
